City councillor withdraws proposed curfew for gas powered lawn equipment after negative feedback
Several days after a motion was first put forward that would have limited the time of day when Londoners could use gas powered lawn equipment, the city councillor who proposed it is speaking out.
In a statement posted to Facebook on Saturday, Ward 11 Coun. Skylar Franke said she is withdrawing her current motion at the upcoming June 4 council meeting. Citing feedback from the community, Franke said the proposed 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. timeframe for the use of gas powered lawn care equipment was “too limiting” for Londoners.
“The intent of this motion was to reduce noise and emissions for the benefit of our community, but I understand that these restrictions could pose significant challenges for those with busy schedules and for local lawn care businesses,” Franke said. “While I still believe we must reduce emissions and noise wherever possible, it appears this will not be a viable solution for many.
The motion was first put forward by Franke to the Civic Works Committee on May 22 in response to community feedback regarding environmental concerns and the noise emitted by gas powered equipment.
The proposed motion immediately resulted in negative feedback from the community, including a social media post from London Mayor Josh Morgan.
“We have far more pressing issues to deal with," Morgan posted on May 23. “The message I've heard most from Londoners is one I agree with wholeheartedly: 'get off my lawn.'"
As a result of withdrawing the motion, Franke said she hopes Londoners can continue to “explore alternative solutions that balance the needs of all community members while addressing the issues of noise and emissions.”
Had the motion remained, city council would have decided during a meeting on June 4 whether to schedule a public meeting in July about reducing the hours for using gas lawn equipment.
Currently, the Sound By-law restricts the use of all lawn maintenance equipment to between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.
The proposal by Franke would have limited gas powered mowers, blowers and trimmers to between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Operating hours for electric lawn equipment would not have changed.
-- With files from CTV News London's Daryl Newcombe
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
At least 4 buildings burned at Jasper Park Lodge, others damaged: Fairmont memo
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge said Thursday afternoon most of its structures are 'standing and intact,' including its iconic main lodge.
Major Canadian bank experiences direct deposit outage on payday
Scotiabank says it has fixed a technical issue that impacted direct deposits on Friday morning.
'He was just gone': Police ramp up search for vulnerable 3-year-old boy in Mississauga, Ont.
Police in Mississauga are conducting a full-scale search of the city’s biggest park for a non-verbal toddler who went missing Thursday evening. Sgt. Jennifer Trimble told reporters Friday morning that there has been no trace of three-year-old Zaid Abdullah since 6:20 p.m., when he was last seen with his parents in Erindale Park, near Dundas Street West and Mississauga Road.
Sask. appeal court says anti-trans group cannot join constitutional dispute over pronoun law
Saskatchewan’s Court of Appeal has denied a political group that opposes so-called “gender ideology” intervener status in a legal dispute over the province’s controversial pronoun law.
Driver charged after flashing high beams at approaching police
Orillia OPP arrested and charged a driver with impaired driving after flashing their high beams.
Powerful cartel leader 'El Mayo' Zambada was lured onto airplane before arrest in U.S., AP source says
A powerful Mexican drug cartel leader who eluded authorities for decades was duped into flying into the U.S., where he was arrested alongside a son of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, according to a U.S. law enforcement official familiar with the matter.
Elon Musk's estranged daughter calls out his 'entirely fake' claims about her childhood
Vivian Jenna Wilson, Elon Musk's estranged daughter, publicly refuted several recent anti-trans statements her Tesla CEO and X owner father has made about her.
What we know about 'malicious' attack on French train network ahead of Olympics opening
French transport was thrust into chaos Friday just hours ahead of the Olympics 2024 opening ceremony after a series of co-ordinated 'malicious acts' upended high-speed train lines.Here's what happened and what we know so far.
When Barbie learned what a gynecologist was, so did many other people, according to new study
A new study published Thursday in the journal JAMA Network Open has found that the ending in the 2023 blockbuster film 'Barbie' had an influence on online search interest in terms around gynecology, the branch of medicine that deals with women’s reproductive health.